Different NHS Scotland rejects England’s hostile healthcare environment for vulnerable migrant women

Professor John Robertson OBA From the Guardian today, the above, and: The UK [sic] has been accused of a “stark injustice” for failing to provide health services and humanitarian support to citizens of British overseas territories after a woman from the Caribbean island of Montserrat was refused free NHS care and left homeless. Council officials found Cherry Brown, 69, sleeping rough in a park in Swanley, Kent, in April. Brown had been funded by the Montserratian government – whose budget is largely subsidised by the UK – to travel to England to receive treatment from the NHS that was not available at home. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/oct/01/uk-montserrat-british-overseas-territory-citizens-injustice-donaldson-romeo The situation … Continue reading Different NHS Scotland rejects England’s hostile healthcare environment for vulnerable migrant women

Fuel poverty – in Scotland, it need not be this way.

Will it be food in the house? Professor John Robertson OBA BBC Scotland in their BBC Breakfast insert have the above story minus of course the hugely significant consideration that, in Scotland, it need not be this way. In August 2025, we had the information. As energy price rises loom, a reminder of why Michael Shanks will not protect us and why Scots would pay far less after independence As energy price rises loom, a reminder of why Scots would pay far less once independent. From stewartb in June 2025: I fear that a majority of the electorate in Scotland still have NO IDEA … Continue reading Fuel poverty – in Scotland, it need not be this way.

A story never to be told – Domestic abuse of women twice as common and, of children, four times as common, across the border

and abusive past has made more than 19 500 reports since it started ten years ago. Professor John Robertson OBA BBC Scotland in their BBC Breakfast insert have the above special report today but it’s not being coverfed anywhere else. Interesting, what effect is the scheme having on the relative level of domestic abuse and violence against women in Scotland? That would be an obvious question to ask. They don’t go there so here is the wider picture: Domestic abuse is TWICE as common in England and Wales as in Scotland From the Scottish Government’s Safer Communities Directorate: The police recorded 63,867 incidents … Continue reading A story never to be told – Domestic abuse of women twice as common and, of children, four times as common, across the border

Scotland’s measles vaccination rate remains high but faces risk of outbreaks seeded from the 80% of cases which are imported via Europe and England

Professor John Robertson OBA From Childhood immunisation statistics Scotland Quarter ending 30 June 2025 published yesterday: The first dose of Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine is offered between 12 and 13 months old and the second dose at 3 years 4 months old. 92.3% of children had the first dose of MMR vaccine by 24 months of age. This rose to 95.8% for children who had reached age 5. Uptake of the second dose of MMR vaccine by 5 years was 89.8%, rising to 90.7% by age 6 years. https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/childhood-immunisation-statistics-scotland/childhood-immunisation-statistics-scotland-quarter-ending-30-june-2025/ The World Health Organisation requires 93-95% immunisation for herd immunity to … Continue reading Scotland’s measles vaccination rate remains high but faces risk of outbreaks seeded from the 80% of cases which are imported via Europe and England

Year after year, around 96% of thousands of drug addicts are treated by NHS Scotland within only 3 weeks to undermine media politicisation on behalf of Anas Sarwar

Professor John Robertson OBA From National drug and alcohol treatment waiting times 1 April 2025 to 30 June 2025 published yesterday: 10,641 referrals were made to community-based specialist drug and alcohol treatment services: 5,123 (48.1%) were for problematic use of alcohol, 3,990 (37.5%) for problematic use of drugs, and 1,528 (14.4%) for co-dependency (problematic use of both alcohol and drugs). 7,041 referrals to community-based services started treatment. Of these, 6,637 (94.3%) involved a wait of three weeks or less. Nationally, the Standard was met for referrals to community-based services across all substances: drugs (96.2%), co-dependency (94.5%) and alcohol (92.8%). Nationally, the Standard … Continue reading Year after year, around 96% of thousands of drug addicts are treated by NHS Scotland within only 3 weeks to undermine media politicisation on behalf of Anas Sarwar

Despite surge in demand NHS Scotland treats thousands more cancer cases on time than NHS England

Professor John Robertson OBA From Public Health Scotland – Cancer waiting times 1 April to 30 June 2025 published yesterday: There were 4,888 eligible referrals, an increase of 11.8% from the previous quarter, and an increase of 31.3% from the quarter ending 31 December 2019. 69.9% of patients started treatment within 62 days, compared with 68.9% in the previous quarter. 95.3% of patients started treatment within 31 days, compared with 94.1% in the previous quarter, and 96.5% in the quarter ending 31 December 2019. There were 7,461 eligible referrals, an increase of 9.8% from the previous quarter, and an increase of 16.8% … Continue reading Despite surge in demand NHS Scotland treats thousands more cancer cases on time than NHS England

SNP’s free prescriptions getting cheaper as costs increase at only half the rate of general inflation in last ten years and confirm its safe future contrary to media scares

Professor John Robertson OBA From Dispenser payments and prescription cost analysis Financial year 2024 to 2025 published yesterday: The total (net) cost, which is the final cost to the Scottish Government once item costs, service remuneration, advance payments and patient charges are taken into account, for dispensing items and providing services in 2024/25 was £1.66 billion. This increased by 2.5% from £1.62 billion in 2023/24 and continues a period of largely rising cost, increasing by 29.8% over the last 10 years. The total number of items reimbursed between 2023/24 and 2024/25 increased by 2.3%, from 114.4 million to 117.0 million items. Over … Continue reading SNP’s free prescriptions getting cheaper as costs increase at only half the rate of general inflation in last ten years and confirm its safe future contrary to media scares

13 times as many, per head, assessed but waiting for a care at home package in England

Professor John Robertson OBA From People requiring a social care assessment and care at home services published today: The estimated number of people assessed and waiting for a care at home package was 3,135 on 8 September 2025. This is similar to the number of people (3,122) waiting for a care at home package this time last year (9 September 2024). Of those people in Scotland waiting for care at home following an assessment of their needs, the total estimated number of weekly hours of care that they were waiting to receive was 27,904 as at 8 September 2025. This represents a … Continue reading 13 times as many, per head, assessed but waiting for a care at home package in England

NHS Scotland has more beds and nearly 30% more, per head, than NHS England, to cope better with future pandemics and reveal this kind of thing to be mince

Professor John Robertson OBA From Acute hospital activity and NHS beds information (annual) Year ending 31 March 2025 published today: In 2024/25, the average number of available staffed beds per day for acute specialties was 13,717 – a 0.3% decrease on the previous year (2023/24) and a 3.7% increase compared to five years ago (2019/20).  From NHS England’s Bed Availability and Occupancy Data (KH03 collection) for Quarter 4 2024/25 (January to March 2025), published on the NHS England statistics website: 106,068 is the total number of available general and acute beds (overnight) in NHS England for Quarter 4 of 2024/25 (January to … Continue reading NHS Scotland has more beds and nearly 30% more, per head, than NHS England, to cope better with future pandemics and reveal this kind of thing to be mince

Factcheck – no care home ‘collapse’ in Scotland as occupancy falls and 6 000 places are unfilled

Closing today, support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details or by direct bank transfer method – John Robertson, Sort code 08-91-04, Account 12266421 Professor John Robertson OBA In April, the Herald had, the above and: Six months later and the facts are in. From Care home census for adults in ScotlandStatistics for 2015 to 2025 published today: On 31 March 2024, there were 1,020 care homes for adults and 40,079 registered places – 18% and 6% less, respectively, compared with 31 March 2014. On 31 March 2024, there were an estimated 34,113 residents … Continue reading Factcheck – no care home ‘collapse’ in Scotland as occupancy falls and 6 000 places are unfilled